India ready to cut 100% tariffs, deal soon: Trump

Parallel to the commencement of bilateral trade talks between India and the US today, American President Donald Trump again reiterated his claim that New Delhi has offered a zero tariff deal.

Just two days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar countered Trump saying “nothing is final till everything is final and negotiations are underway”, Trump told Fox News on Friday, “They (India) make it almost impossible to do business. Do you know they’re willing to cut 100 per cent of their tariffs for the US?”

Trump added that the US-India deal would come soon but also noted, “I’m in no rush. Look, everybody wants to make a deal with us....but I am not planning to make deals with everybody.”

Two days ago, Jaishankar had said, “Between India and the US, trade talks have been going on. These are complicated negotiations. Nothing is decided till everything is. Any trade deal has to be mutually beneficial; it has to work for both countries. That would be our expectation from the trade deal. Until that is done, any judgment on it would be premature.”

Trump’s latest remarks come on a day when a delegation led by the Commerce Minister began talks on the bilateral trade agreement with its US counterparts in Washington.

The talks are scheduled for four days from May 17.